The Country Director of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in Iraq, Mr. Ra Kapchae, has signed the Record of Discussion with H.E. Dr. Ali Sindi, Minister of Planning of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), for the project of “Modernization of Public Procurement System in Kurdistan Region, Iraq” in Erbil on Sunday, 29 April 2018.

The Korean Government will provide grant aid of six million US dollars (US$ 6,000,000) for this project and KOICA will implement the project from 2018 till 2021. The project will consist of consulting service, development of E-procurement system, provision of IT equipment and training programs for capacity building.

During the signing ceremony, KOICA Country Director of Iraq Mr. Ra mentioned that the project will contribute to ensuring transparency on public procurement procedures and practices of KRG. After completion of the project including establishing an E-procurement system, it is expected that the KRG will be able to enhance efficiency and accountability in the overall public procurement procedure.

H.E. Minister Sindi said that our government has started procurement reform in 2015 and now have a new procurement regulation that is in line with international standards, e-Procurement is the next stage of our reform plan and with the generous contribution of KOICA we will start implanting e-procurement later this year.

H.E. Mr. Park Young-Kyu, Consul-General of the Republic of Korea, also attended the ceremony. He remarked that the Korean Government recognized that the KRG had put priority on effective and transparent government system, and wished to assist and join such KRG’s efforts for achievement of good governance, which is one of the main objectives of Kurdistan Region of Iraq 2020 (Vision 2020).  

Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is a government agency of the Republic of Korea implementing the government’s grant aid and technical cooperation programs.